Project number
25003
Organization
Raytheon Technologies
Offering
ENGR498-F2024-S2025
Supersonic missile nose cones are designed to minimize aerodynamic drag at ultra-fast speeds while protecting sensitive electronics. These nosecones, or radomes, are often made of advanced materials that are transparent to the missile’s radar so it can track targets but are sensitive to impacts. Current testing methods for evaluating high-speed rain impacts on these radomes require very expensive and time-consuming methods. Furthermore, simulating a water droplet impact at supersonic speeds is challenging due to the complexities of deformable liquids.
The team’s solution is the Radome Impingement Test Apparatus (RITA) which uses pressurized gas to propel a nylon bead down a barrel at high speeds into a sample radome. This system affordably and accurately simulates the damage water droplets inflict on radomes. RITA uses an articulating mount to precisely adjust the angle and location of the testing sample to create varied impacts. It can evaluate the resulting damage to the radome and convert it into a damage score. This score becomes a metric to evaluate which radome materials perform better under high-speed rain impacts. Verification test results show promise for RITA as a rapid-turn and inexpensive evaluation solution.
The team’s solution is the Radome Impingement Test Apparatus (RITA) which uses pressurized gas to propel a nylon bead down a barrel at high speeds into a sample radome. This system affordably and accurately simulates the damage water droplets inflict on radomes. RITA uses an articulating mount to precisely adjust the angle and location of the testing sample to create varied impacts. It can evaluate the resulting damage to the radome and convert it into a damage score. This score becomes a metric to evaluate which radome materials perform better under high-speed rain impacts. Verification test results show promise for RITA as a rapid-turn and inexpensive evaluation solution.